Medical, dental, pharmaceutical, veterinary or mortuary instruments and devices are routinely exposed to blood or other body fluids during medical procedures. Following such procedures, a thorough cleaning and anti-microbial deactivation of the instruments is required before subsequent use. After the device has been washed it is decontaminated, which typically comprises a brief contact with a decontaminating agent such as bleach or steam sufficient to kill the most dangerous pathogens such as hepatitis. Liquid microbial deactivation systems are now widely used to clean and deactivate instruments and devices that cannot withstand the high temperature of a steam deactivation system, such as endoscopes. Liquid microbial deactivation systems typically operate by exposing the medical devices and/or instruments to a liquid disinfectant or a deactivation composition, such as peracetic acid or some other strong oxidant. In such systems, the instruments or devices to be cleaned are typically placed within a deactivation chamber within the deactivation system, or in a container that is placed within the deactivation chamber. During a deactivation cycle, a liquid disinfectant is then circulated through the deactivation chamber. The instruments may then be safely handled for inspection and processed for sterilization. However, it would be faster and cheaper to use steam for decontamination and deactivation if the steam could be applied in a manner that would not damage the instruments.